Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



O. L. SHOGKLEY & H. E. STRALEY.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILEDJULY 24, 1912.

1 102 091 Patented June 30,1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CD.,WASIHINGTDN. D. c.

G. L. SHOOKLBY & H. E. STRALEY. STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION IILED JULY 24, 1912.

1,102,091. Patented June 30,1914.

2 sums-slum 2.

' f 10' 1L %7- g f 12 I21 i? a i i-is :10

- wuewcoz ,2; 4 dzpzocfle M wi tmapoeo COLUMBIA PLANOG-RAPH co.,WASHINGTON, 0. c4

UNITED srn'rns Parana nrrrcn CLEMENT L. SI-IOOKLEY AND HARVILA EBERSTRALEY, 0F SPRINGFIELD, OI-TIQ.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 11 9141.

Application filed July 24, 1912. Serial No. 711,282.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that we, CLEMENT L. SHOCK- Lnr andl-l xnvni-i Ennn S'rn-imiy, citizens of the United States, residing atSpringfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented newand useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Internal- CombustionEngines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means of the nature of an attachment which maybe fitted to an engine of the internal combustion type for starting thesame without requiring the usual manual cranking, which is objectionablebecause of the danger incident thereto and the inconvenience andannoyance resulting therefrom.

The invention contemplates means for positively charging the cylindersof a mul tiple engine with a gaseous mixture so that when throwing theswitch the charge in the cylinder having the piston farthest advancedwill be ignited, thereby overcoming inertia of the parts and startingthe engine.

T he invention provides means which admit of training the terminals ofthe spark plugs as well as supplying a decarbonizing agent to thecylinders for loosening and re moving soot and like carbon residue.

The invention furthermore has for its object the provision of a novelform of spark tures, details of construction and combination of parts,which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1is a detail view, showing the application of the start ing mechanismto'a multiple engine adapted for driving an automobile. Fig. 2 is asectional view of the tank containing the pumps, the liquid fuel and thedecarbonizer. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the spark plugs.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by

' thesame reference characters.

The attachment comprises a tank 1, feed pipes 2 leading therefrom to thecylinders of the engine and actuating means for the pump mechanism, thesame comprising a flexible shaft 3and a hand wheel 4-. This attachmentmay be applied to any make or variety of internal combustion engineutilizing an ignition system of the electric type. In order to adapt theattachment for various types f explosive engines spark plugs of specialdesign have been devised, said spark plugs being fitted to the cylindersof the engine in the ordinary way and adapted to have the feed pipesconnected thereto, whereby the gaseous mixture or other agent may besupplied to the cylinders of the engine as required. The tank 1 may beconveniently located as also the hand wheel 4. When the startingmechanism is fitted to an automobile the tank 1 is preferably attachedto the dash 5 and the hand wheel 4 is secured to the steering post 6within convenient reach of the hand wheel and control levers.

The tank 1 is of a size to contain a small quantity of liquid fuel, suchas gasolene, and receives the pumping mechanism and 'the reservoir forcontaining the decarbonizwithin the tank and have connection with themanifold 7, a valve 9 being arranged Within each connection so as toprevent back flow into the pump cylinders or barrels. A plunger 10 isarranged to reciprocate in each pump barrel, each plunger having a head11 with which an'eccentric 12 cooperates'to effect a reciprocatingmovement of the plunger. The eccentrics 12 are secured to a shaft 13 andhave a progressive arrangement so as to charge the cylinders of theengine in rotation. The flexible shaft 3 is made fast to the shaft 13. Avalve 14 is located in the length of the manifold 7 so as to shut offcommunication between the feed pipes and the inlets of the decarbonizingagent and gaseousmixture. A rod 15 connected with the valve liextendsthrough the cover of the tank and is provided with a button or knob forconvenience of operating the valve. An air pipe 16 depends from thecover of the tank and extends within a short distance of the bottomthereof and v has a" plurality of small openings 17 in its lower portionfor the discharge of air into the gasolene or liquid fuel in a number ofsmall jets. A second pipe 18 is connected with the cover of the tank andis attached at its lower end to the manifold T. A plu rality of openings19 are had in the sides of the pipe 18 above the level. of the gasoleneor liquid fuel of the tank. at second set of openings 20 are formed inthe lower portion of the pipe 1.8. A hollow stem 21 is located withinthe pipe 18 and extends through the cover of the tank and hasscrewthread connection with the pipe 18. The projecting end of the stemhas a button or finger piece to be grasped when it is required to turnthe stem to effect a longitudinai, movement thereof. The lower end ofthe hollow stem 21 is made tapering, as indicated at 22, and constitutesa valve for closing thelower end of the pipe 18, thereby preventing theliquid fuel from passing into the manifold. Vv'hen the valve 22 isseated the gaseous mix ture may be drawn from the upper portion of thetank 1 into the pumps and forced therefrom into the cylinders of theengine preliminary to starting.

A receptacle 23 is located within the tank 1 and is adapted to contain aquantity of decarbonizing liquid. The lower portion of the receptacle 23is connected with the manifold 7. A valve 2% is adapted to close thedischarge opening of the receptacle, said valve having its stemextending above the tank and provided with a button or linger piece..Vhen the valve 25 is open the decarboiiizing liquid may be forced intothe cylinders of the engine by operating the pumps through the handwheel at. The spark plug designed as a part of the startino' mecl'ianismcomprises a shell which is externally threaded to make screwthreadconnection with the engine in the usual The bottom of the shell consistsof a cup 26 which is adapted to hold a small quantity of gasolene orother liquid fuel. The centrally disposed electrode is indicated at 27and its sparking terminal extends into the cup 26 so as to be immersedin the gasolene or other liquid fuel contained therein. A passage 28 isformed in the shell and is arranged to deliver the gasolene into the cup26. One of the feed pipes 2 connects with the passage 28 of each of thespark plugs.

When it is required to start the engine provided with mechanismembodying the invention the valve 1st is opened and the hand wheel 4 isoperated. thereby rotating the shaft l3 and operating the series ofpumps, each forcing a like quantity of gaseous mixture into a cylinderof the en gine. It being remembered that the pumps are of like capacityand each forces a like quantity of gaseous mixture into a cylinder ofthe engine, the mixture thus forced into the cylinder having the pistonfarthest ad vanced therein will be subjected to the great est pressure,hence upon throwing the switch to close the circuit explosion will takeplace in the cylinder of the engine having the piston farthest advanced,thereby startingthe engine. After the engine has started the valve 1% isclosed. l Vhen the pumps are in. operation. within the ta Ck 1 air isdrawn into the pipe 16 and is discharged therefrom through the opening-17 into the gasolene or liquid fuel and passes upward through such fuelinto the space in the upper portion of the tank. The gaseous mixture isdrawn from the upper portion of the tank through the pipe 18 into themanifold and from thence into the pump barrels from which it isdischarged into the engine cylinders by means of the feed pipes Gasoleneor liquid fuel may be supplied to the engine cylinders by opening thevalve 22. thereby permitting the gasolene to pass from the tank throughthe opening 20 into the pipe 18, thence to the cylinders of the enginethrough the manifold and feed pipes. quired to supply the decarbonizingliquid to the cylinders the valve 22 is closed and the valve 24- openedso that the decarbonizer may be drawn from the receptacle 23 anddischarged into the cylinders of the engine so as to loosen and removethe soot or other residue resulting from combustion. The mechanism issuch as to be readily applied to any make of internal combustion enginewithout requiring any special alteration or change in the parts thereofother than to replace the ordinary spark plug by means of the spark plugherein described.

When the engine is cold and requires a rich mixture to start readily asmall quantity of gasolene is supplied to the cup 26 and is gasified bythe mixture entering the cylinder through the passage 28 when thestarting mechanism is broughtinto play. This operation also serves tokeep the spark terminals free from soot and'carbon.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artto which. the invention appertains, and while we have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the device whichwe now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. In engine starting mechanism of the character described, thecombination of a tank having a liquid fuel space in its lower If it bereportion and a gaseous mixture space in its upper portion, a pipe forsupplying air into the lower portion of the fuel space, a second pipehaving connection with both the liquid fuel and gaseous mixture space, avalve for closing the lower end of the second pipe, a pump for drawingair into the tank and adapted to draw either the gaseous mixture or theliquid fuel therefrom through the before mentionel second pipe, andmeans for delivering such fuel into the cylinder of the engine.

In an engine starting mechanism, the combination of a tank having aspace in its upper portion and adapted to have its lower portionsupplied with liquid fuel, a manifold at the lower portion of the tank,a plurality of pumps one for each cylinder of the engine havingconnection with the manifold and adapted to be operated to supply thecylinders of the engine in rotation, feed pipes connecting the pumpswith the cylinders of the engine, a pipe arranged to supply air to theliquid fuel space of the tank, a second pipe having communication withboth the upper and the lower portions of the tank and with the saidmanifold, and a valve for closing the lower end of the said second plpe.

3. In engine startin mechanism, the combination of a tank 1aving air andfuel spaces, a manifold, a plurality of pumps one for each cylinder ofthe engine having connection with the manifold, feed pipes connectingthe pumps with the cylinders of the engine, means for supplying air tothe fuel space of the tank, a pipe having connection with the manifoldand in communication with the air and fuel spaces of the tank, a valvefor closing the lower end of said pipe, a receptacle containing a liquiddecal-bonizing agent connected with the said manifold, and a valve forcontrolling the discharge of the decarbonizer from the said receptacle.

' In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

CLEMENT L. SHOCKLEY. H. EBER STRALEY. lVitnesses:

BEULAH STRALEY, T. J. McCoRMIcK.

Conic: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

